How to automate Metal Former (IC2)

[Jack Rea]

Hello! I am at the stage in ftb where I need lots of wires and plates and etc. Does anyone know how to automate it with AE2? Do I need multiple metal formers for each individual action? Thanks!

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Since AE2 is unable to change the mode of the IC2 Metal Former, you will need one metal former to make plates, and one to make wires. However, you can reuse the same machine for all wires or all plates. Then you can use either the Level Emitter and Redstone Signal control to maintain a backlog or, if you don't care about how long it takes, just set up an Interface with crating of ingots to plates or wires.

Alternately, as long as you don't care about resource bleed, you can just set up crafting recipes for hammer + ingot and Snips + Plate, then have a crafting upgrade so if there isn't a hammer or snips, it will craft one first.

 

[malicious_bloke]

So far as I can see, there's no external way to change the mode of the metal former. Redstone signals won't do it, so you can't just piss about with a level emitter or W/E.

Unless computercraft has a sneaky way of doing it (I don't really know much CC so someone else will have to confirm/deny), then I guess you will end up needing three different formers.

 

[Henry Link]

As other have said you will need multiple metal formers. Also, don't forget to put ejection upgrades in each of the IC2 machines as well. This will eliminate the need for an import bus and you will only need an interface attached to each metal former. Configure the ejection upgrade to same side the interface is attached to.

 

[Jack Rea]

I got the metal former automated. Thanks guys! I just used 3 in total for the 3 different modes that it can be set on with the usual ME Import Buses.